Holster stink?

pmanton · Mar 8, 2023

I have a new military type holster that reeks. The interior smells so bad that my wife complains about it from across the room. (Her sense of smell is much more sensitive than mine)

I'll admit that the interior smell is really bad.

How may I kill the odor?

Thanks:

Paul

Truckman · Mar 8, 2023

I've never tried, but maybe baking soda?...

...Ben

StrawHat · Mar 8, 2023

Is it leather? Canvas? Plastic? It could make a difference.

Kevin

jake1945 · Mar 9, 2023

Wives have a super sense of smell. Like with tobacco smoke, perfume other than their own and any kind of alcohol/beer on your breath.
We had a new Amana furnace installed and my wife complained about the 'smell' from the floor registers. Had the contractor take a smell and.....nothing. I don't 'smell' it either.

Narragansett · Mar 9, 2023

If it is musty from mildew, it is going to take a long time. I had a trap bag that took years. Put it out in the night air. Watch for rain and dew

robvious · Mar 9, 2023

sunlight and fresh air are slow but sure help for most issues on leather..

Onomea · Mar 9, 2023

Is the holster new to you or newly made? If the latter, maybe ask whoever made it.

If the source of the smell is mildew, sunlight kills mildew, as does vinegar. Maybe wipe the inside of the holster with vinegar, then leave outside in the sun for as long as it takes.

If the baking soda doesn't work — and I think that's a good idea — I read somewhere about people tasked with cleaning homes where bodies have decomposed burning coffee grounds, I guess on the kitchen stove. Maybe burn some coffee grounds and put 'em inside a ziplock bag with the holster for a week.

I'm curious as to how it works out.

chief38 · Mar 9, 2023

I have found many odors are quite difficult and near impossible to get rid of. I've never had a stinky holster, but I have had a few stinky USGI ammo cans that after soaking in bleach, baking soda, sunlight, etc. I wound up tossing! Heck, I even painted one to see if that helped (it did temporarily), but wound up tossing them after many repeated attempts to de-stink them. Don't know what was causing the smell but at that point all I knew is that I did not want them anymore.

I hope you are more successful with your holster-good luck.

Mercury · Mar 9, 2023

I've placed a leather holster that smelled of cologne in a plastic Ziploc filled with unused coffee grounds and put it out in the sun for a few days. It worked wonders.
Also, the advice to use vinegar to kill mildew smells works well, but be aware that you want to get rid of any residual vinegar because it will attack blueing.

crazyphil · Mar 9, 2023

A while back I had a leather holster that had belonged to a smoker.
It reeked of cigarette smoke. I put a couple of drops of Dawn in warm
water and used a rag to give the holster a good scrubbing. Then I hung
it out in the fresh air and sunshine for about a week.....stink gone!

pmanton · Mar 9, 2023

It's a new leather holster for a Walther PPK.
I'll try the baking soda.
If that doesn't do it We have plenty of sun here in AZ

ISCS Yoda · Mar 9, 2023

Exactly - it's probably storage smell/mildew and sunshine after baking soda and/or vinegar is what you need.

rednichols · Mar 9, 2023

Wanna show your bride you love her and want to renew your vows? Throw the holster away. It's just a holster, billions made to date.

URIT · Mar 9, 2023

OP, what company made the stinker for you?

pmanton · Mar 10, 2023

The maker is unknown. It's a replica military holster.

Narragansett · Mar 11, 2023

pmanton said:
The maker is unknown. It's a replica military holster.

Could be in the tanning chemicals used. I might toss it. Who knows what was used and it might do something less than good to the finish on the gun

jmace57 · Mar 11, 2023

Onomea said:
Is the holster new to you or newly made? If the latter, maybe ask whoever made it.

If the source of the smell is mildew, sunlight kills mildew, as does vinegar. Maybe wipe the inside of the holster with vinegar, then leave outside in the sun for as long as it takes.

If the baking soda doesn't work — and I think that's a good idea — I read somewhere about people tasked with cleaning homes where bodies have decomposed burning coffee grounds, I guess on the kitchen stove. Maybe burn some coffee grounds and put 'em inside a ziplock bag with the holster for a week.

I'm curious as to how it works out.

I think this is interesting because I had a military holster that smelled so bad to me...and it smelled like...burnt coffee. I tried baking soda, leaving it outside, leather cleaner, washing it with Dawn. I ended up giving up and throwing it away.

Pointblank2U · Mar 11, 2023

If it was me, I'd spray it thoroughly with Ballistol, let it sit awhile and wipe it off with a clean rag. It can't hurt anything and might clean out whatever is causing the odor.

Holster stink?

pmanton

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Truckman

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StrawHat

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jake1945

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Narragansett

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robvious

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Onomea

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chief38

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Mercury

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crazyphil

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pmanton

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ISCS Yoda

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rednichols

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URIT

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pmanton

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